Click on this link to see full article with pictures: http://www.euportal.cz/Articles/5339-confederate-flag-and-st-andrew-s-cross.aspx
Autor: David Dieteman
Publikováno: 30.11.2009
Rubrika: English
Joseph Stromberg rightly points out that the media prefers to refer to the St. Andrew's Cross on the Confederate battle flag as a letter X.
Of course, it is not a letter X. It is a cross – in particular, the St. Andrew's Cross. In vexillology (the study of flags), the technical term for such a cross is a saltire.
Webster's Third New International Dictionary (I don't have the OED on hand; sorry) defines a saltire as: noun, singular:
1.heraldry: an ordinary consisting of a cross formed by a bend dexter and a bend sinister crossing in the center of the field.
2.an X-shaped cross: esp. Saint Andrew's Cross.
The term derives from the Middle English and Middle French words for an X-shaped animal barricade that people could jump over. Presumably, the animals could jump over the middle of the X as well, but it never occurred to them to do so.
Webster's, by the way, provides an additional definition of a saltire: adj.: shaped like an X.
So perhaps there is nothing sinister going on in the mantra that the Confederate flag is an "X," but given that the mere reference to "an X" is an incomplete history of flags featuring the St. Andrew's Cross, and given the larger cultural climate of hatred of all things Christian, I smell a rat.
This is of particular concern to me, as I am a Roman Catholic and a parishioner at, well, wouldn't you know it – St. Andrew's.
In the church, there is a statue of St. Andrew himself, holding a big X in his hands. Why? He lived far too long ago to have been a Spike Lee fan or a follower of Malcolm X.
The reason he is holding the X is that it is not an X – it is a cross. Saint Andrew, you see, was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
The St. Andrew's Cross is not unique to the Confederate battle flag. The reason that the CSA put the St. Andrew's Cross on its flag is the Scottish heritage of the South.
The Scottish national flag, you see, is the St. Andrew's Cross in white on a field of blue.
(This is to be distinguished from the Scottish government flag, the flag of the Scottish monarchy, which features a red lion on a field of yellow.)
A similar situation to the Scottish situation is found in many nations, such as Germany, whose government flag has an eagle in the center of the red, black and gold banner, as does Austria (similar eagle issues).
Joseph Stromberg has brought to my attention the fact that, where the St. Andrew's Cross is concerned, in South Africa, the Transvaal (South African Republic, or ZAR) flag from 1874-75, known as the Burger flag, descended from the Voortrekker flag of 1836-40.
For those who do not read Afrikaans, Stromberg has provided a translation: "This [Burger flag] is a revised form of the Voortrekker flag. T. F. Burgers, as President of the South African Republic, tried to replace the Transvaal Vierkleur with this flag. From 1875, however, the Vierkleur was the official flag of the ZAR. The Burger flag was however sometimes hoisted next to the Vierkleur in Burgers's time, and was usually known as the President's flag."
(Much like those pesky Mississippians, the South Africans did not want a replacement flag.)
But back to St. Andrew and his cross.
Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Russia. Unsurprisingly, then, the ensign of the Russian Imperial Navy which flew during the reign of the Czars, as well as the Russian Imperial Navy Jack both feature the St. Andrew's Cross.
And let's not forget the flags of Alabama and Florida.
A variant also appears on the Spanish Cross (the Cross of Burgundy, flown from 1516 to 1556 by Charles I of Spain), although I am not sure of any connection. However, since this flag was flown by Cortez in his conquest of Mexico, it is perhaps on the endangered banners list as well.
Given the recent media hysteria over Johnny Hart's "B.C." cartoon, and the general media ridicule of all things Christian, is it any wonder that the Confederate battle flag is hated?
The Confederate battle flag, by the way, is square.
The navy jack (or ensign, which was carried by some ground troups, as noted by AnyFlags.com) (right) is a rectangle.
The Left certainly hates the Confederate flag because it is "the flag of a stateless nation" that, despite its military surrender, has never surrendered its spirit.
Perhaps the Left also despises the St. Andrew's Cross because of Andrew's very name – it means "manly" in Greek. Post-modern, relativist western civilization simply cannot abide the concept of manliness.
April 21, 2001
Mr. Dieteman is an attorney in Erie, Pennsylvania, and a PhD candidate in philosophy at The Catholic University of America.
© 2001 David Dieteman
David Dieteman Archives
http://www.euportal.cz/Articles/5339-confederate-flag-and-st-andrew-s-cross.aspx
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
County prepares to move Confederate monument
Marion County Florida administrator to create list of possible sites for statue.
By Bill Thompson
Staff writer - Ocala.com
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
The Confederate monument that stood guard in front of the Marion County Courthouse for nearly a century, only to be stuck in a corner two years ago as the facility was expanded, is likely moving.
The question remains: Where?
On Tuesday, the County Commission appeared to reach a consensus to relocate the statue of the Confederate infantryman, known commonly as "Johnny Reb."
That came after Ocala lawyer Lanny Curry proposed a public-private partnership to relocate the 101-year-old monument and volunteered to help raise the estimated $25,000 needed to move it from its present location, a nook on the building's south side fronting Northwest First Street.
To further the project, commissioners agreed to set up an account with the court clerk's office to accept tax-exempt donations and accepted Commissioner Charlie Stone's offer to serve as a liaison to work with Curry and other parties interested in finding Johnny Reb a new home.
County Administrator Lee Niblock said he would prepare at least three new locations for the board to consider at its next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 1.
Niblock indicated that the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, a site favored by many, is one option. Leaving the monument where it is will be offered as another, he added. As for where else it might go, Niblock was mum, only saying the spot would reflect the statue's "historical significance."
Johnny Reb was removed in 2007 from the front of the courthouse in downtown Ocala in preparation for a $41-million expansion.
Other than spending a four-year stint in storage in the late 1980s when the courthouse was last renovated, the two-story-tall, 15-ton statue has been a fixture at the facility's entrance since being dedicated in April 1908.
The current courthouse project is expected to be completed in January.
Former county administrator Pat Howard had designated Johnny Reb's current location as permanent and Niblock was inclined to concur unless the County Commission directed otherwise. Curry, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, appealed to the board to find a "suitable location" for the monument.
Relating that his great-grandfather, Lawton Curry, was a Confederate soldier in the Florida cavalry who had been wounded in battle, Curry said it was not "in a place of honor and not in a proper location."
His preference is the veterans' park, at Fort King Street and Southeast 25th Avenue, about two miles from where Johnny Reb is now situated.
Curry also said he was trying to fulfill a commitment to the late Tommy Needham, a former county commissioner and impetus for the park.
"I promised him that I would not let the issue go away," Curry told the commission.
Curry said he felt strongly about the need to sustain the memory of the efforts of those who fought in the Civil War.
While the monument has periodically ignited controversy as civil rights groups complained it is an affront to blacks, the commission's reluctance to overrule Howard's decision was primarily rooted in the cost of moving it.
Relocating the statue requires a specialized moving company that can dismantle its three fitted parts and reassemble it.
Stone suggested the board could perhaps convince some company to offer in-kind services to move it.
Once the cost issue is resolved, the monument should be placed in a more prominent position, Stone offered.
"It's just not in a location where people can see it on an ongoing basis," he said.
In other action, the board learned that Marion County had received almost $2.5 million in federal stimulus funding to make the courthouse and some county offices more energy efficient.
Roughly $727,000 of that amount will be used to install new cooling units to replace the 50-year-old units at the courthouse's heating and air conditioning system. An additional $303,000 will be spent to replace the facility's windows and lighting. Another $450,000 will go for installing solar heating panels at the Marion County Jail.
Other improvements include updating traffic signals, installing waterless urinals, improving lighting and air conditioning at three county firehouses and replacing windows.
"It's a huge accomplishment that will save the citizens a ton of money," Commissioner Stan McClain observed. Congress passed President Barack Obama's $787-billion spending program in February.
Copyright © 2009 Ocala.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091118/ARTICLES/911181013/1402/NEWS
By Bill Thompson
Staff writer - Ocala.com
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
The Confederate monument that stood guard in front of the Marion County Courthouse for nearly a century, only to be stuck in a corner two years ago as the facility was expanded, is likely moving.
The question remains: Where?
On Tuesday, the County Commission appeared to reach a consensus to relocate the statue of the Confederate infantryman, known commonly as "Johnny Reb."
That came after Ocala lawyer Lanny Curry proposed a public-private partnership to relocate the 101-year-old monument and volunteered to help raise the estimated $25,000 needed to move it from its present location, a nook on the building's south side fronting Northwest First Street.
To further the project, commissioners agreed to set up an account with the court clerk's office to accept tax-exempt donations and accepted Commissioner Charlie Stone's offer to serve as a liaison to work with Curry and other parties interested in finding Johnny Reb a new home.
County Administrator Lee Niblock said he would prepare at least three new locations for the board to consider at its next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 1.
Niblock indicated that the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, a site favored by many, is one option. Leaving the monument where it is will be offered as another, he added. As for where else it might go, Niblock was mum, only saying the spot would reflect the statue's "historical significance."
Johnny Reb was removed in 2007 from the front of the courthouse in downtown Ocala in preparation for a $41-million expansion.
Other than spending a four-year stint in storage in the late 1980s when the courthouse was last renovated, the two-story-tall, 15-ton statue has been a fixture at the facility's entrance since being dedicated in April 1908.
The current courthouse project is expected to be completed in January.
Former county administrator Pat Howard had designated Johnny Reb's current location as permanent and Niblock was inclined to concur unless the County Commission directed otherwise. Curry, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, appealed to the board to find a "suitable location" for the monument.
Relating that his great-grandfather, Lawton Curry, was a Confederate soldier in the Florida cavalry who had been wounded in battle, Curry said it was not "in a place of honor and not in a proper location."
His preference is the veterans' park, at Fort King Street and Southeast 25th Avenue, about two miles from where Johnny Reb is now situated.
Curry also said he was trying to fulfill a commitment to the late Tommy Needham, a former county commissioner and impetus for the park.
"I promised him that I would not let the issue go away," Curry told the commission.
Curry said he felt strongly about the need to sustain the memory of the efforts of those who fought in the Civil War.
While the monument has periodically ignited controversy as civil rights groups complained it is an affront to blacks, the commission's reluctance to overrule Howard's decision was primarily rooted in the cost of moving it.
Relocating the statue requires a specialized moving company that can dismantle its three fitted parts and reassemble it.
Stone suggested the board could perhaps convince some company to offer in-kind services to move it.
Once the cost issue is resolved, the monument should be placed in a more prominent position, Stone offered.
"It's just not in a location where people can see it on an ongoing basis," he said.
In other action, the board learned that Marion County had received almost $2.5 million in federal stimulus funding to make the courthouse and some county offices more energy efficient.
Roughly $727,000 of that amount will be used to install new cooling units to replace the 50-year-old units at the courthouse's heating and air conditioning system. An additional $303,000 will be spent to replace the facility's windows and lighting. Another $450,000 will go for installing solar heating panels at the Marion County Jail.
Other improvements include updating traffic signals, installing waterless urinals, improving lighting and air conditioning at three county firehouses and replacing windows.
"It's a huge accomplishment that will save the citizens a ton of money," Commissioner Stan McClain observed. Congress passed President Barack Obama's $787-billion spending program in February.
Copyright © 2009 Ocala.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091118/ARTICLES/911181013/1402/NEWS
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Racial Slurs Spray Painted on Confederate Monument
Channel 6 News WJBF-TV
Augusta, GA—The vandalism happened after dark, Sunday night, and based on the job, it looks like whoever is responsible had some time to finish their work. Spray painted on the Confederate monument in downtown Augusta was “Black power,“ “Cracker killers,“ and “I hate whites.“
Crews got most of the paint off, early Monday morning. They used expensive, heavy-duty graffiti remover on the tough stuff.
People we talked to say it’s disappointing to see this in 2009, but not everyone is totally surprised by it, either.
“It’s sad that it’s happening and that people are taking the time to vandalize buildings instead of encouraging one another. We’re here to encourage one another and build each other up, not tear each other down,“ says Hegar Moody, of Aiken, SC.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were checking with local businesses, Monday, to see if any cameras caught the vandals in action. So far, there’s no word on any suspects.
Defacing a public monument is a felony, and if caught, the vandals could serve up to five years in jail.
Click on below link to view video:
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/news/crime/article/racial_slurs_spray_painted_on_confederate_monument/37749/
Augusta, GA—The vandalism happened after dark, Sunday night, and based on the job, it looks like whoever is responsible had some time to finish their work. Spray painted on the Confederate monument in downtown Augusta was “Black power,“ “Cracker killers,“ and “I hate whites.“
Crews got most of the paint off, early Monday morning. They used expensive, heavy-duty graffiti remover on the tough stuff.
People we talked to say it’s disappointing to see this in 2009, but not everyone is totally surprised by it, either.
“It’s sad that it’s happening and that people are taking the time to vandalize buildings instead of encouraging one another. We’re here to encourage one another and build each other up, not tear each other down,“ says Hegar Moody, of Aiken, SC.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were checking with local businesses, Monday, to see if any cameras caught the vandals in action. So far, there’s no word on any suspects.
Defacing a public monument is a felony, and if caught, the vandals could serve up to five years in jail.
Click on below link to view video:
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/news/crime/article/racial_slurs_spray_painted_on_confederate_monument/37749/
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Unknown Civil War soldier to be reburied Oct. 10
Uniforned sentries stand guard while mourners exit the gates of Rest Haven Cemetery.
Photo by Robin Hood
FRANKLIN – The sons of two Civil War veterans who fought for separate causes will meet for the first time over the unearthed remains of an unknown soldier, whose body never made it home from the battlefield 145 years ago.
Harold Becker, 93, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and James Brown, Sr., 97, of Knoxville, Tenn., will join together to help re-inter the unknown soldier’s remains, discovered in a shallow grave during a commercial construction project on the field where 10,000 casualties fell in five hours at the Battle of Franklin on Nov. 30, 1864.
Becker’s father, Charles Conrad Becker, fought through the horrific battle at Franklin with the 128th Indiana Infantry, U.S.A., while Brown’s father, James H. H. Brown – 8th Georgia Infantry, C.S.A. – saw his regiment cut in half at Gettysburg. On Saturday, Oct. 10, they will shake hands over the new grave of an American soldier.
“Most folks don’t consider the sacrifice that these soldiers made, certainly on both sides,” said Robin Hood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who is chair of the City of Franklin’s Battlefield Task Force. “And his family was left alone, to eventually come to closure with the fact that he was killed in action in some field a thousand miles from home.”
Thousands like him were buried with simple gravestones marked Unknown, including approximately 750 in Franklin.
It is not known for which army the Unknown Soldier fought. A coffin containing his remains will lie in state at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 510 West Main Street in Franklin – the circa 1827 sanctuary which served as barracks for Federal troops during their occupation of the town in 1864 – from 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 until the funeral ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. One Federal and one Confederate honor-guard sentry will be posted at the front doors of the church during the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. visitation period each day and prior to the ceremony on Saturday morning.
The soldier will receive full military honors from re-enactors representing brothers-in-arms from both the United States and the Confederacy. On Saturday morning, a Union and a Confederate Chaplain will conduct a brief funeral service in the church. Following the service, the flag-draped casket will be borne from the church by uniformed pallbearers (Confederate and Federal) and placed on a waiting, horse-drawn caisson in front of the church.
Accompanied by a color guard, honor guard, period musicians, and hundreds of uniformed re-enactors, the caisson will travel down Main Street and around the Public Square to the Rest Haven Cemetery gates.
As the procession leaves St. Paul's and continues up Main Street, townspeople and visitors are invited to fall in behind the ranks of the marching re-enactors.
After arriving at Rest Haven Cemetery, a brief eulogy will be delivered by the chaplains, and will conclude with period-appropriate military honors including a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps” by a uniformed bugler.
Active participation in the ceremonies at Rest Haven and at St. Paul’s will be restricted to uniformed re-enactors, but the public is encouraged to view the ceremonies. Re-enactment units that wish to participate should contact Robert Huff at (615) 500-8211, or via email at rghuff123@aol.com.
For more information, visit http://www.franklincivilwar.com/
http://www.murfreesboropost.com/unknown-civil-war-soldier-to-be-reburied-oct-10-cms-19613
Dedication honors Robeson Confederate
By Hilary Kraus
Staff writer
ST PAULS - The heroics of the late William Townsend were brought to life Saturday afternoon.
Eighty-two years after the Civil War veteran died, a stone dedication was performed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans South Carolina 7th Brigade.
About a dozen members of the Capt. Andrew T. Harllee Camp 2010 chapter from Dillion, S.C., dressed in Civil War garb, presented a dedication fitting for the time.
Rifles were shot, a cannon was fired and taps was played, as a few friends and family members stood near Townsend's tombstone at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
"It touched my heart to think about what all he must have gone through and what all the others must have gone through," said Jean Townsend Duncan, great-grandaughter of William Townsend and a St. Pauls resident. "It made me almost tearful to think about it."
The ceremony was one of eight performed at six different cemeteries on Saturday. The brigade also was in Hamer, S.C.; Raynham and Lumberton, before arriving in St. Pauls.
Gilbert Townsend, a distant cousin of Duncan and member of the Dillon chapter, is a descendent of all the men recognized. He organized the ceremonies.
William Townsend, a native of Robeson County, was a private with the N.C. Infantry Company D. The infantry was organized in 1861 and included members from Robeson, New Hanover, Bladen, Columbus and Richmond counties.
The army unit of 1,100 men participated in numerous battles and lost 57 percent of the 396 men in the Seven Days battles. Of the 346 in action at Gettysburg, 25 percent were disabled.
Duncan said her great-grandfather was wounded in the war, but she was uncertain of details.
"I know he was known as a sharp shooter and was there right behind Gen. (Robert E.) Lee," Duncan said.
William Townsend was 84 when he died in 1927. He was buried with his confederate pin on his chest.
http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/10/04/940007
Staff writer
ST PAULS - The heroics of the late William Townsend were brought to life Saturday afternoon.
Eighty-two years after the Civil War veteran died, a stone dedication was performed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans South Carolina 7th Brigade.
About a dozen members of the Capt. Andrew T. Harllee Camp 2010 chapter from Dillion, S.C., dressed in Civil War garb, presented a dedication fitting for the time.
Rifles were shot, a cannon was fired and taps was played, as a few friends and family members stood near Townsend's tombstone at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
"It touched my heart to think about what all he must have gone through and what all the others must have gone through," said Jean Townsend Duncan, great-grandaughter of William Townsend and a St. Pauls resident. "It made me almost tearful to think about it."
The ceremony was one of eight performed at six different cemeteries on Saturday. The brigade also was in Hamer, S.C.; Raynham and Lumberton, before arriving in St. Pauls.
Gilbert Townsend, a distant cousin of Duncan and member of the Dillon chapter, is a descendent of all the men recognized. He organized the ceremonies.
William Townsend, a native of Robeson County, was a private with the N.C. Infantry Company D. The infantry was organized in 1861 and included members from Robeson, New Hanover, Bladen, Columbus and Richmond counties.
The army unit of 1,100 men participated in numerous battles and lost 57 percent of the 396 men in the Seven Days battles. Of the 346 in action at Gettysburg, 25 percent were disabled.
Duncan said her great-grandfather was wounded in the war, but she was uncertain of details.
"I know he was known as a sharp shooter and was there right behind Gen. (Robert E.) Lee," Duncan said.
William Townsend was 84 when he died in 1927. He was buried with his confederate pin on his chest.
http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/10/04/940007
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Ringgold Gap Festival to honor Cleburne
Dalton Daily Citizen
by: Rachel Brown
September 29, 2009 07:12 pm
The Ringgold Gap Civil War Festival this weekend will honor the Confederate general who gained notoriety when he staved off federal forces at the town in 1863.
Festival organizers are planning a dedication of a statue to Patrick R. Cleburne, the Irish immigrant who they say is the first Confederate general since 1912 to have a statue dedicated in his honor in Georgia. The last one was dedicated to Joseph E. Johnston in downtown Dalton.
Festival committee member and historian Stephen McKinney said Cleburne is known for being the first Confederate general to propose freeing Southern slaves in exchange for their military service, and he’s also remembered for holding back Union troops at Ringgold long enough for the Confederates to retreat to Dalton and regroup after a defeat at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga.
Cleburne died a year later when he was shot during combat in Franklin, Tenn., McKinney said. He was 36. Ringgold Telephone Company and the city of Ringgold are sponsoring the festival, which will be held off of Robin Road on county historian Bill Clark’s property. Robin Road is accessible from Alabama Highway and from Tennessee Street.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday with events scheduled for students, while Saturday’s events are all open to the public free of charge. Ringgold downtown events coordinator Andrea Sherman said this is the first year for the festival, and it could be an annual event. Sherman said the Civil War is a high-interest subject and a big tourist draw. “We have so many people that are fans of Gen. Cleburne,” she added. “He’s quite well respected.”
Historians say Cleburne’s 4,000 men kept 12,000 Union soldiers from breaching Ringgold Gap in November 1863. The feat earned him a resolution of thanks from the Confederate Congress a few months later. “Ringgold Gap is very narrow, and it was much narrower in 1863 than it is today,” McKinney said. “They had to widen the gap to put I-75 through.” Sherman said she couldn’t speculate about how many visitors the event might bring to Ringgold, but she knows the Cleburne statue will continue to draw tourists long after the festival is over. Close to 100 re-enactors are scheduled to be on site. There won’t be a battle re-enactment, but re-enactors will be set up with living history displays and will be available for questions, organizers said. “This is really an opportunity for the public to get a hands-on educational experience,” McKinney said.
Saturday schedule
9 a.m. — Festival grounds open
10 a.m. — Unveiling ceremony of Gen. Patrick Cleburne statue at Ringgold Confederate Park, Ga. Highway 41. Shuttles will be provided from the festival grounds to the ceremony and to Ringgold Depot.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Art exhibition at the Ringgold Depot
Cleburne’s tent historical lecture schedule
11 a.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen will tell stories from her book “General Sherman and the Georgia Belles: Tales from Women Left Behind.” She will sign copies afterward.
Noon — Bruce Stewart, author of “Invisible Hero Patrick R. Cleburne”
1 p.m. — Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
2 p.m. — Mauriel Joslyn, author and immediate past president of the Gen. Patrick Cleburne Society
3 p.m. — Ron Tunison, historical sculptor and creator of the Cleburne statue
4 p.m. — Thomas Cartwright, historian, speaking on Cleburne’s life and death
5 p.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen, appearing as Clara Barton
6 p.m. — Bill Clark, Catoosa County historian, speaking on the county’s history
General’s tent schedule
Noon — Buttonwillow Church play
3 p.m. — Buttonwillow Church play
7 p.m. — Period ball (the public is invited to join in Civil War period dances)
Ringgold Telephone Company tent schedule
All day — Lincoln Exhibit provided by Gilder Lehrman, Institute of America History
11 a.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
2 p.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
Living history experience camp provided by Hardee Guard Battalion all afternoon
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Unit and first person impressions in Confederate camps
Noon-5:30 p.m. — Roving and static music, period songs and tunes of the Civil War
Noon-1 p.m. — “Join the Army!” camp for kids and adults to learn about the average soldier
12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. — Artillery demonstration
1 p.m.-5:30 p.m. — Drill and artillery demonstrations
1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. — Speaker Stephen McKinney on functions of brigade and staff positions in the field
For more information
http://www.ringgoldgapfestival.com/
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/statenews/local_story_272191312.html?keyword=topstory
by: Rachel Brown
September 29, 2009 07:12 pm
The Ringgold Gap Civil War Festival this weekend will honor the Confederate general who gained notoriety when he staved off federal forces at the town in 1863.
Festival organizers are planning a dedication of a statue to Patrick R. Cleburne, the Irish immigrant who they say is the first Confederate general since 1912 to have a statue dedicated in his honor in Georgia. The last one was dedicated to Joseph E. Johnston in downtown Dalton.
Festival committee member and historian Stephen McKinney said Cleburne is known for being the first Confederate general to propose freeing Southern slaves in exchange for their military service, and he’s also remembered for holding back Union troops at Ringgold long enough for the Confederates to retreat to Dalton and regroup after a defeat at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga.
Cleburne died a year later when he was shot during combat in Franklin, Tenn., McKinney said. He was 36. Ringgold Telephone Company and the city of Ringgold are sponsoring the festival, which will be held off of Robin Road on county historian Bill Clark’s property. Robin Road is accessible from Alabama Highway and from Tennessee Street.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday with events scheduled for students, while Saturday’s events are all open to the public free of charge. Ringgold downtown events coordinator Andrea Sherman said this is the first year for the festival, and it could be an annual event. Sherman said the Civil War is a high-interest subject and a big tourist draw. “We have so many people that are fans of Gen. Cleburne,” she added. “He’s quite well respected.”
Historians say Cleburne’s 4,000 men kept 12,000 Union soldiers from breaching Ringgold Gap in November 1863. The feat earned him a resolution of thanks from the Confederate Congress a few months later. “Ringgold Gap is very narrow, and it was much narrower in 1863 than it is today,” McKinney said. “They had to widen the gap to put I-75 through.” Sherman said she couldn’t speculate about how many visitors the event might bring to Ringgold, but she knows the Cleburne statue will continue to draw tourists long after the festival is over. Close to 100 re-enactors are scheduled to be on site. There won’t be a battle re-enactment, but re-enactors will be set up with living history displays and will be available for questions, organizers said. “This is really an opportunity for the public to get a hands-on educational experience,” McKinney said.
Saturday schedule
9 a.m. — Festival grounds open
10 a.m. — Unveiling ceremony of Gen. Patrick Cleburne statue at Ringgold Confederate Park, Ga. Highway 41. Shuttles will be provided from the festival grounds to the ceremony and to Ringgold Depot.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Art exhibition at the Ringgold Depot
Cleburne’s tent historical lecture schedule
11 a.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen will tell stories from her book “General Sherman and the Georgia Belles: Tales from Women Left Behind.” She will sign copies afterward.
Noon — Bruce Stewart, author of “Invisible Hero Patrick R. Cleburne”
1 p.m. — Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
2 p.m. — Mauriel Joslyn, author and immediate past president of the Gen. Patrick Cleburne Society
3 p.m. — Ron Tunison, historical sculptor and creator of the Cleburne statue
4 p.m. — Thomas Cartwright, historian, speaking on Cleburne’s life and death
5 p.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen, appearing as Clara Barton
6 p.m. — Bill Clark, Catoosa County historian, speaking on the county’s history
General’s tent schedule
Noon — Buttonwillow Church play
3 p.m. — Buttonwillow Church play
7 p.m. — Period ball (the public is invited to join in Civil War period dances)
Ringgold Telephone Company tent schedule
All day — Lincoln Exhibit provided by Gilder Lehrman, Institute of America History
11 a.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
2 p.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
Living history experience camp provided by Hardee Guard Battalion all afternoon
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Unit and first person impressions in Confederate camps
Noon-5:30 p.m. — Roving and static music, period songs and tunes of the Civil War
Noon-1 p.m. — “Join the Army!” camp for kids and adults to learn about the average soldier
12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. — Artillery demonstration
1 p.m.-5:30 p.m. — Drill and artillery demonstrations
1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. — Speaker Stephen McKinney on functions of brigade and staff positions in the field
For more information
http://www.ringgoldgapfestival.com/
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/statenews/local_story_272191312.html?keyword=topstory
Monday, September 28, 2009
Confederate Wooden Canteen
This episode deals with a Southern ( Rebel ) canteen made of wood and why a wooden Confederate canteen was often seen as better than its metallic Union counterpart. A rare Confederate canteen is examined. What is the common motto about Civil War canteens that was remembered by all soldiers well after the war?
Though people often remember the generals and commanders from a major war, its outcome also depends largely on the nameless soldiers in the front lines. Illuminating little known history, CIVIL WAR MINUTES® - Confederate features rarely told stories of both the famous and average Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. This film reveals the intimate details of the soldiers' lives in their own words, such as their weapons of choice, their uniforms and how soldiers form fellowships during the war that last throughout their lives.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Community Orginizing at it's Best!!
Jonesborough Chapter of Sons of Confederate Veterans A Reality
By Melissa Hipolit
Published: September 24, 2009
Relatives of Confederate veterans have a new advocate in Washington County, Tennessee. A Jonesborough chapter of the group held its first meeting Thursday night.
The chapter’s creation comes months after the Town of Jonesborough decided bricks honoring Civil War veterans placed in the Veterans Memorial Park cannot designate whether the soldier fought for the Confederacy or the Union.
The decision angered area descendants of Confederate soldiers and compelled the Sons of the Confederate Veterans to boycott the town. Meanwhile, local members of the group joined together to form a Jonesborough chapter called the General Alfred E. “Mudwall” Jackson camp.
"My congratulations and appreciation go out to all the new members for making this SCV camp a reality tonight. In the coming months, we plan to bring in guest speakers and present programs on Civil War history that will be of interest, not only to the members, but to the general public as well. Our meetings will be open to the public and we hope that our members and visitors will be richly rewarded with knowledge of American history and Southern tradition, honor, and valor."
Deo Vindice
Cmdr. Joe Adkins
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/jonesborough_chapter_of_sons_of_confederate_veterans_a_reality/32997/
By Melissa Hipolit
Published: September 24, 2009
Relatives of Confederate veterans have a new advocate in Washington County, Tennessee. A Jonesborough chapter of the group held its first meeting Thursday night.
The chapter’s creation comes months after the Town of Jonesborough decided bricks honoring Civil War veterans placed in the Veterans Memorial Park cannot designate whether the soldier fought for the Confederacy or the Union.
The decision angered area descendants of Confederate soldiers and compelled the Sons of the Confederate Veterans to boycott the town. Meanwhile, local members of the group joined together to form a Jonesborough chapter called the General Alfred E. “Mudwall” Jackson camp.
"My congratulations and appreciation go out to all the new members for making this SCV camp a reality tonight. In the coming months, we plan to bring in guest speakers and present programs on Civil War history that will be of interest, not only to the members, but to the general public as well. Our meetings will be open to the public and we hope that our members and visitors will be richly rewarded with knowledge of American history and Southern tradition, honor, and valor."
Deo Vindice
Cmdr. Joe Adkins
http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/jonesborough_chapter_of_sons_of_confederate_veterans_a_reality/32997/
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Confederate Yankee
Roscommon County Herald News
By James P. Dikin (1991)
Ten years ago we lost one of our’s to the land of sunshine, red clay, snakes & spiders. Having traded his overcoat, gloves, thermal underwear and snow shovel for sun block, mosquito repellant and snake boots, he headed southward to fame and fortune.
During the long evolution the Yank developed a tolerance for grits, fried okra, fat back with soup beans and cracklin’ cornbread. That tolerance led to the greater gastric experiences of banana pudd’n, peach cobbler, fried pies and sweet roasted pecans (pronounced pe’cans).
Even the hunting and fishing was different. The locals climbed trees and viewed their prey from atop (long before us Yanks thought of it). I tried it a few times. Close your eyes and imagine a 300 lb. man in camo perched between two trees, sitting on a board. All was fine, but you see, I often doze off when I’m comfortable… caught myself twice just in time and decided to stay on the tare’ ferma.
Yank was used to the Northern Pike, Sunfish, Walleye and Perch, but found his counterpart to be masters of Bass, Catfish and Brim (our Bluegill). Every Saturday and Sunday the highways were jammed with endless streams of Bass & Jon Boats in search of the elusive lunkers. Bait shops along the way provide hot biscuits from the Tasty Pig, coffee, Moon Pies, Dr. Pepper & Yahoo (a bottle of Hot Chocolate made yesterday and left in the fridge overnight). These roadside malls also had every size and color of rubber worm imaginable, jigs galore and just about anything needed to get the job done.
I finally got to the fishing hole. Boy I hate red water… As Yank waits patiently in line to slide his 12ft skiff into the water he eyes the rig next in line. That good-ol-boy’s got him a ‘92 model Ranger sporting (2) depth finders, trolling motor larger than my 5 hp. Elgin, carpeted deck and live-box.
While Yank put-puts around Lake Lanier aimlessly trying to find the secret holes, his Southern counterparts zip from spot to spot at breakneck speed creating a wake that would rock the Queen Elizabeth II. What ever happened to the peaceful tranquility of fishing? This new breed of sport fisherman is high-keyed, short-tempered, high strung and high tech, lacking the patience to accept fishing as a means to peaceful relaxation.
Southern shopping provided Yank a special treat. The drawl of the southern girls & women was different and pleasing to the ears. He would swear that 90 percent of them were pregnant, maybe they’re all drinking the same red water. Yank could never totally understand the conversations of the local males. Their talk was a blurred blend of drool & drawl. Yank did develop a keen ability to predict how difficult a local would be to understand by following behind him. You see, if a man (or even a boy) wore jeans with a circle outlined on the back pocket the guy was a mumbler. Chaw, chew, dip and snuff all provide media for jawbone exercise. Chewing is a very private but public habit. Hank never had anyone offer to share their chaw with him. Most chawers keep a Coke can or plastic cup handy as a portable spittoon. My wife once grabbed a pop can thinking it was her’s…. not!! Almost had to take her to Emergency to get her stomach pumped. That would have been hard to explain to the doctor… he would have been local and blamed my wife (she’s blonde). Yank once observed competitive target practice where flies and spiders evaded the brown barrage. Some chaw’ers brag of mid-air insect interceptions, although like their fish stories, they’re hard to believe.
Yank learned much about Southern Hospitality. He learned the meaning of “sit-a-spell”, “Ya’ll come back now, ‘ya her”, “ya’ll come see us”. But, nothing was so enlightening as the “Hey” wave, (Hey means hi below the Line). While driving down the road Yank saw locals walking, cutting their grass, sitting on their front porch or even approaching in their pre 70’s pick up and they would raise their hand with forefinger extended to salute you. Yank felt like he was finally acknowledged and someone special and promptly learned to respond with a similar gesture. He often wondered how that salute would be taken back is his Northern environment. Would the salute be miss-interpreted and take offense? Would it prompt a negative response from the salute’s 9mm Oozy, or maybe it would start a gang war.
Yank’s counterparts were oft-times referred to as “Lay-back”. Lay back does not mean lazy, they just march to the beat of a different drum. It’s like comparing march music in 6/8 time to the ¾ time of a waltz. Yank found many laborers worked sun-up to sun-down, but left work at noon every Friday. Bosses never really expected workers to show up on opening day of hunting or fishing season. He went to work one day, but his boss never showed - it was the opening day of dove season.
Well, Yank’s come back home now. Back to friends and family. Back to the environment and lifestyle he fully understands. It’s time to renew relationships. This will be easy. He doesn’t have to learn to fit in…. just remember. His friends don’t have to be made… just looked up. Relatives don’t have to be written to…… just stop by and “sit-a-spell”.
Welcome Home Yank and remember…… Don’t Wave!!
By James P. Dikin (1991)
Ten years ago we lost one of our’s to the land of sunshine, red clay, snakes & spiders. Having traded his overcoat, gloves, thermal underwear and snow shovel for sun block, mosquito repellant and snake boots, he headed southward to fame and fortune.
During the long evolution the Yank developed a tolerance for grits, fried okra, fat back with soup beans and cracklin’ cornbread. That tolerance led to the greater gastric experiences of banana pudd’n, peach cobbler, fried pies and sweet roasted pecans (pronounced pe’cans).
Even the hunting and fishing was different. The locals climbed trees and viewed their prey from atop (long before us Yanks thought of it). I tried it a few times. Close your eyes and imagine a 300 lb. man in camo perched between two trees, sitting on a board. All was fine, but you see, I often doze off when I’m comfortable… caught myself twice just in time and decided to stay on the tare’ ferma.
Yank was used to the Northern Pike, Sunfish, Walleye and Perch, but found his counterpart to be masters of Bass, Catfish and Brim (our Bluegill). Every Saturday and Sunday the highways were jammed with endless streams of Bass & Jon Boats in search of the elusive lunkers. Bait shops along the way provide hot biscuits from the Tasty Pig, coffee, Moon Pies, Dr. Pepper & Yahoo (a bottle of Hot Chocolate made yesterday and left in the fridge overnight). These roadside malls also had every size and color of rubber worm imaginable, jigs galore and just about anything needed to get the job done.
I finally got to the fishing hole. Boy I hate red water… As Yank waits patiently in line to slide his 12ft skiff into the water he eyes the rig next in line. That good-ol-boy’s got him a ‘92 model Ranger sporting (2) depth finders, trolling motor larger than my 5 hp. Elgin, carpeted deck and live-box.
While Yank put-puts around Lake Lanier aimlessly trying to find the secret holes, his Southern counterparts zip from spot to spot at breakneck speed creating a wake that would rock the Queen Elizabeth II. What ever happened to the peaceful tranquility of fishing? This new breed of sport fisherman is high-keyed, short-tempered, high strung and high tech, lacking the patience to accept fishing as a means to peaceful relaxation.
Southern shopping provided Yank a special treat. The drawl of the southern girls & women was different and pleasing to the ears. He would swear that 90 percent of them were pregnant, maybe they’re all drinking the same red water. Yank could never totally understand the conversations of the local males. Their talk was a blurred blend of drool & drawl. Yank did develop a keen ability to predict how difficult a local would be to understand by following behind him. You see, if a man (or even a boy) wore jeans with a circle outlined on the back pocket the guy was a mumbler. Chaw, chew, dip and snuff all provide media for jawbone exercise. Chewing is a very private but public habit. Hank never had anyone offer to share their chaw with him. Most chawers keep a Coke can or plastic cup handy as a portable spittoon. My wife once grabbed a pop can thinking it was her’s…. not!! Almost had to take her to Emergency to get her stomach pumped. That would have been hard to explain to the doctor… he would have been local and blamed my wife (she’s blonde). Yank once observed competitive target practice where flies and spiders evaded the brown barrage. Some chaw’ers brag of mid-air insect interceptions, although like their fish stories, they’re hard to believe.
Yank learned much about Southern Hospitality. He learned the meaning of “sit-a-spell”, “Ya’ll come back now, ‘ya her”, “ya’ll come see us”. But, nothing was so enlightening as the “Hey” wave, (Hey means hi below the Line). While driving down the road Yank saw locals walking, cutting their grass, sitting on their front porch or even approaching in their pre 70’s pick up and they would raise their hand with forefinger extended to salute you. Yank felt like he was finally acknowledged and someone special and promptly learned to respond with a similar gesture. He often wondered how that salute would be taken back is his Northern environment. Would the salute be miss-interpreted and take offense? Would it prompt a negative response from the salute’s 9mm Oozy, or maybe it would start a gang war.
Yank’s counterparts were oft-times referred to as “Lay-back”. Lay back does not mean lazy, they just march to the beat of a different drum. It’s like comparing march music in 6/8 time to the ¾ time of a waltz. Yank found many laborers worked sun-up to sun-down, but left work at noon every Friday. Bosses never really expected workers to show up on opening day of hunting or fishing season. He went to work one day, but his boss never showed - it was the opening day of dove season.
Well, Yank’s come back home now. Back to friends and family. Back to the environment and lifestyle he fully understands. It’s time to renew relationships. This will be easy. He doesn’t have to learn to fit in…. just remember. His friends don’t have to be made… just looked up. Relatives don’t have to be written to…… just stop by and “sit-a-spell”.
Welcome Home Yank and remember…… Don’t Wave!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
In reversal, Confederate flag gets booted from parade
Miami Herald
BY TANIA VALDEMORO
tvaldemoro@MiamiHerald.com
The Confederate battle flag -- a symbol of Southern pride to some and hate to others -- will not be displayed after all at this year's Veterans Day parade in Homestead.
The Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee, which organizes the popular event, reversed Wednesday an earlier announcement that the controversial flag could be flown.
In an e-mail sent to the media, committee chairman Jeffrey Wander said all the members within the Military Affairs Committee had been polled via e-mail and a majority voted to prohibit the flag.
``Due to the importance of this issue and the future of the largest Veterans Day Parade in South Florida, I felt that the motion should be presented to the entire membership of the MAC,'' Wander wrote.
On Sept. 3, a smaller group within the military affairs committee had taken a vote on whether to prohibit the display of the flag and that vote had ended in a stalemate, Wander wrote. The committee then decided to allow the flag into the parade.
On Wednesday, the new ban confused local members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the group that marched with the rebel flag at last year's parade for the first time.
Greg Kalof, commander of the Miami camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said he wasn't even sure this vote would be the final one.
``I can even envision that there won't be a parade after all of the attempts by the NAACP to threaten the sponsors of the parade into submission,'' Kalof said in an e-mail. ``It's a sad state of affairs when a veterans group, like the Sons of Confederate Veterans, are told that they cannot carry the one flag that represents their group, their ancestors and their heritage.''
However, opponents of the battle flag cheered after hearing the news.
``Obviously, I am pleased to see that the wider membership of the MAC had voted the way one had hoped it would vote,'' said Brad Brown, political action chair of the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP.
Brown said he would contact the U.S. Department of Justice, which had been mediating the dispute, to set up a meeting with the parade organizers and determine how to move forward.
But without any formal communication from the military affairs committee, Brown also expressed some weariness. ``As long as this is an open issue, everything is on the table,'' he said, referring to possible protests at the parade as well as a boycott of chamber businesses.
Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace, who had threatened to skip this year's parade, said the military affairs committee did the right thing. ``I think the decision to prohibit the flag reflects that the organization cares about unity in this community,'' he said. ``I look forward to celebrating with them the contributions of our veterans.''
For Mary Finlan, executive director of the Homestead/Florida City Chamber, the policy to ban the Confederate battle flag has ended a divisive controversy. In May, the chamber's executive board had recommended that the military affairs committee ban the rebel flag. ``If there is a segment of the population that feels the flag is inflammatory and insulting to them, it needs to be removed,'' Finlan said. ``We all have really pressing things to do and other issues to take care of.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1237434.html
BY TANIA VALDEMORO
tvaldemoro@MiamiHerald.com
The Confederate battle flag -- a symbol of Southern pride to some and hate to others -- will not be displayed after all at this year's Veterans Day parade in Homestead.
The Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee, which organizes the popular event, reversed Wednesday an earlier announcement that the controversial flag could be flown.
In an e-mail sent to the media, committee chairman Jeffrey Wander said all the members within the Military Affairs Committee had been polled via e-mail and a majority voted to prohibit the flag.
``Due to the importance of this issue and the future of the largest Veterans Day Parade in South Florida, I felt that the motion should be presented to the entire membership of the MAC,'' Wander wrote.
On Sept. 3, a smaller group within the military affairs committee had taken a vote on whether to prohibit the display of the flag and that vote had ended in a stalemate, Wander wrote. The committee then decided to allow the flag into the parade.
On Wednesday, the new ban confused local members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the group that marched with the rebel flag at last year's parade for the first time.
Greg Kalof, commander of the Miami camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said he wasn't even sure this vote would be the final one.
``I can even envision that there won't be a parade after all of the attempts by the NAACP to threaten the sponsors of the parade into submission,'' Kalof said in an e-mail. ``It's a sad state of affairs when a veterans group, like the Sons of Confederate Veterans, are told that they cannot carry the one flag that represents their group, their ancestors and their heritage.''
However, opponents of the battle flag cheered after hearing the news.
``Obviously, I am pleased to see that the wider membership of the MAC had voted the way one had hoped it would vote,'' said Brad Brown, political action chair of the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP.
Brown said he would contact the U.S. Department of Justice, which had been mediating the dispute, to set up a meeting with the parade organizers and determine how to move forward.
But without any formal communication from the military affairs committee, Brown also expressed some weariness. ``As long as this is an open issue, everything is on the table,'' he said, referring to possible protests at the parade as well as a boycott of chamber businesses.
Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace, who had threatened to skip this year's parade, said the military affairs committee did the right thing. ``I think the decision to prohibit the flag reflects that the organization cares about unity in this community,'' he said. ``I look forward to celebrating with them the contributions of our veterans.''
For Mary Finlan, executive director of the Homestead/Florida City Chamber, the policy to ban the Confederate battle flag has ended a divisive controversy. In May, the chamber's executive board had recommended that the military affairs committee ban the rebel flag. ``If there is a segment of the population that feels the flag is inflammatory and insulting to them, it needs to be removed,'' Finlan said. ``We all have really pressing things to do and other issues to take care of.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1237434.html
Monday, September 21, 2009
Students Continue to Display Rebel Flags at BHS
Broadway, Va.
Confederate flags are still on display on some vehicles at Broadway High School.
Posted: 5:48 PM Sep 21, 2009
Reporter: McKinsey Harris
Email Address: McKinsey.Harris@whsv.com
Confederate flags are still on display on some vehicles at Broadway High School.
After students were asked to remove them last week, other students got involved to support the ones who were disciplined, and it even escalated into racial comments being spoken.
The school's principal had two conferences Monday morning with parents of minority students, and while the issue is upsetting that group, the students displaying the flags say they're not doing it out of hate.
With a rebel flag flying behind his car, BHS Junior Wesley Riggleman says he and his friends thought it'd be a cool idea.
"We just don't wake up in the morning and put flags on and drive to school and then come home and take them off. It's not like that. We put them on there, it's going to be on there all day, every day," says Riggleman.
Principal Steve Leaman says the school had additional law enforcement there Monday morning because of similar incidents in the past that ended with racial tension.
"The one incident, a student was beat up because of flags. In another incident flags were stolen and racist comments put on the car," says Leaman.
About ten students are displaying the flags, and Riggleman says they're doing it for their heritage, while others took it too far.
"Some people evidently took it the wrong way and didn't know what it was all about and they did pick on a couple students," says Riggleman.
Leaman says texts and online comments have created additional turmoil for the school. However, while the amount of students displaying flags isn't growing, they aren't ready to back down.
"I think the students that are involved are becoming solidified in their passionate values and student rights," says Leaman.
"We're going to keep on doing it. I mean, cause that's what we believe in. We ain't going to stop doing something just because somebody wants us to because they don't like it," says Riggleman.
Leaman says officials won't force the students remove the flags, but they will ask them to be removed.
Riggleman's mother actually picked him up early from school Monday to avoid any potential conflicts from her son displaying a confederate flag on his car.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/60056202.html
Confederate flags are still on display on some vehicles at Broadway High School.
Posted: 5:48 PM Sep 21, 2009
Reporter: McKinsey Harris
Email Address: McKinsey.Harris@whsv.com
Confederate flags are still on display on some vehicles at Broadway High School.
After students were asked to remove them last week, other students got involved to support the ones who were disciplined, and it even escalated into racial comments being spoken.
The school's principal had two conferences Monday morning with parents of minority students, and while the issue is upsetting that group, the students displaying the flags say they're not doing it out of hate.
With a rebel flag flying behind his car, BHS Junior Wesley Riggleman says he and his friends thought it'd be a cool idea.
"We just don't wake up in the morning and put flags on and drive to school and then come home and take them off. It's not like that. We put them on there, it's going to be on there all day, every day," says Riggleman.
Principal Steve Leaman says the school had additional law enforcement there Monday morning because of similar incidents in the past that ended with racial tension.
"The one incident, a student was beat up because of flags. In another incident flags were stolen and racist comments put on the car," says Leaman.
About ten students are displaying the flags, and Riggleman says they're doing it for their heritage, while others took it too far.
"Some people evidently took it the wrong way and didn't know what it was all about and they did pick on a couple students," says Riggleman.
Leaman says texts and online comments have created additional turmoil for the school. However, while the amount of students displaying flags isn't growing, they aren't ready to back down.
"I think the students that are involved are becoming solidified in their passionate values and student rights," says Leaman.
"We're going to keep on doing it. I mean, cause that's what we believe in. We ain't going to stop doing something just because somebody wants us to because they don't like it," says Riggleman.
Leaman says officials won't force the students remove the flags, but they will ask them to be removed.
Riggleman's mother actually picked him up early from school Monday to avoid any potential conflicts from her son displaying a confederate flag on his car.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/60056202.html
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Alabama woman shares Confederate soldier father's story
Column by Alvin Benn of the Montgomery Advertiser
HEADLAND -- The United Daughters of the Confederacy has thousands of members, but only a handful can be called "real" daughters.
To earn that special designation, a woman must be able to prove that she is more than a direct descendant of a Confederate soldier -- she must have been his daughter.
Stacia Chance Grace, believed to be one of only 32 remaining UDC "real" daughters, lives in Henry County where she loves to bake pound cakes, attends church every Sunday and gives thanks for having lived such a long and productive life.
As she nears her 97th birthday in November she can look back on decades of devotion to the UDC. That's why she spent part of last week preparing to go to Prattville on Saturday for the annual meeting of the organization.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation to "Ms. Stacia" -- as she's known to one and all -- of the coveted Winnie Davis Award, named for the daughter of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
During a Wednesday telephone interview from her home in Headland, Ms. Stacia reminisced about "Papa," who survived Chickamauga -- a pivotal battle of the Civil War -- and returned home with lice covering his shoeless, emaciated body.
She said Augustus Chance was reluctant to talk much about his experiences during America's bloodiest war, but, on occasion he would open up and describe for his family what he and other soldiers in Company "E" of the 6th Alabama Cavalry went through.
During the battle of Chickamauga, his horse was shot out from under him and another bullet struck his elbow. When the war ended, his unit was in Macon, Ga., and it was up to its members to get back home on their own.
Augustus walked all the way. When he finally reached his house, his mother took one look at him and ordered him out of his clothes and into a tub of hot water. His clothes were discarded immediately.
He was only 5-feet-4 inches tall and weighed just a tad over 130 pounds when his cavalry career ended, but he quickly made up for lost time on the family farm.
He and his wife welcomed a daughter they named Vara Chance. His wife died 20 years later. Following a period of mourning, Augustus felt he should be married again. It would be to Ms. Stacia's mother -- Stacia King. Augustus was 56 at the time and his second wife was 19. She also was the daughter of Berry King, his wartime buddy.
Asked why she would agree to marry someone so much older, his young bride would tell people that she'd rather be "an old man's sweetheart than a young man's plaything."
Together, the Chances would have seven children. Ms. Stacia was the youngest and, as such, was pampered and protected by her parents and siblings.
When it came to discipline, Ms. Stacia (pronounced Staysha), knew that her father could get things done with just a "look."
"Papa was strict, and when he talked, we knew he meant business," she said. "He had rules and they were to be obeyed."
At times, one of her father's cavalry comrades would drop by the house and they'd go outside, sit under a huge oak tree and tell war stories. Other than that, he kept those memories from his family.
Augustus Chance, who was 70 years old when the youngest member of his family was born, died at the age of 94 in 1935.
Six of Ms. Stacia's seven children are still living and she is a proud great-great grandmother. Several relatives live near her and make sure she is OK.
They take her to Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church every Sunday and love to drop by to get a slice of her prized pound cake.
Ms. Stacia reports that she's in good shape for a woman her age, but wonders at times if her memory may be slipping just a bit.
She and Frank Grace were married for 58 years. He was 77 years old when he died and she retains fond memories of a good husband, father and family provider.
Frank, her parents and other relatives are buried at a cemetery near her church. One day she will join her husband in a plot next to his.
Until then, she plans to keep making those delicious pound cakes, going to church, crocheting, watching the news on television and fawning over so many descendants that it's hard to keep up with all their names.
Alabama's only other UDC "real" daughter is Elizabeth Harrell Carrigan of Montgomery. She's 103. Two sisters, Lela, 101 and Rena, 105, live in Panama City.
Alvin Benn writes about people and places in central and south Alabama. If you have suggestions for a story, contact him at 875-3249 or e-mail him at benn8071@bellsouth.net.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090920/NEWS01/909200313/Alabama+woman+shares+Confederate+soldier+father+s+story
HEADLAND -- The United Daughters of the Confederacy has thousands of members, but only a handful can be called "real" daughters.
To earn that special designation, a woman must be able to prove that she is more than a direct descendant of a Confederate soldier -- she must have been his daughter.
As she nears her 97th birthday in November she can look back on decades of devotion to the UDC. That's why she spent part of last week preparing to go to Prattville on Saturday for the annual meeting of the organization.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation to "Ms. Stacia" -- as she's known to one and all -- of the coveted Winnie Davis Award, named for the daughter of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
During a Wednesday telephone interview from her home in Headland, Ms. Stacia reminisced about "Papa," who survived Chickamauga -- a pivotal battle of the Civil War -- and returned home with lice covering his shoeless, emaciated body.
She said Augustus Chance was reluctant to talk much about his experiences during America's bloodiest war, but, on occasion he would open up and describe for his family what he and other soldiers in Company "E" of the 6th Alabama Cavalry went through.
During the battle of Chickamauga, his horse was shot out from under him and another bullet struck his elbow. When the war ended, his unit was in Macon, Ga., and it was up to its members to get back home on their own.
Augustus walked all the way. When he finally reached his house, his mother took one look at him and ordered him out of his clothes and into a tub of hot water. His clothes were discarded immediately.
He was only 5-feet-4 inches tall and weighed just a tad over 130 pounds when his cavalry career ended, but he quickly made up for lost time on the family farm.
He and his wife welcomed a daughter they named Vara Chance. His wife died 20 years later. Following a period of mourning, Augustus felt he should be married again. It would be to Ms. Stacia's mother -- Stacia King. Augustus was 56 at the time and his second wife was 19. She also was the daughter of Berry King, his wartime buddy.
Asked why she would agree to marry someone so much older, his young bride would tell people that she'd rather be "an old man's sweetheart than a young man's plaything."
Together, the Chances would have seven children. Ms. Stacia was the youngest and, as such, was pampered and protected by her parents and siblings.
When it came to discipline, Ms. Stacia (pronounced Staysha), knew that her father could get things done with just a "look."
"Papa was strict, and when he talked, we knew he meant business," she said. "He had rules and they were to be obeyed."
At times, one of her father's cavalry comrades would drop by the house and they'd go outside, sit under a huge oak tree and tell war stories. Other than that, he kept those memories from his family.
Augustus Chance, who was 70 years old when the youngest member of his family was born, died at the age of 94 in 1935.
Six of Ms. Stacia's seven children are still living and she is a proud great-great grandmother. Several relatives live near her and make sure she is OK.
They take her to Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church every Sunday and love to drop by to get a slice of her prized pound cake.
Ms. Stacia reports that she's in good shape for a woman her age, but wonders at times if her memory may be slipping just a bit.
She and Frank Grace were married for 58 years. He was 77 years old when he died and she retains fond memories of a good husband, father and family provider.
Frank, her parents and other relatives are buried at a cemetery near her church. One day she will join her husband in a plot next to his.
Until then, she plans to keep making those delicious pound cakes, going to church, crocheting, watching the news on television and fawning over so many descendants that it's hard to keep up with all their names.
Alabama's only other UDC "real" daughter is Elizabeth Harrell Carrigan of Montgomery. She's 103. Two sisters, Lela, 101 and Rena, 105, live in Panama City.
Alvin Benn writes about people and places in central and south Alabama. If you have suggestions for a story, contact him at 875-3249 or e-mail him at benn8071@bellsouth.net.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090920/NEWS01/909200313/Alabama+woman+shares+Confederate+soldier+father+s+story
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Black Confederates To Be Honored On November 8th
WKSR
Pulaski, Tennessee
The local chapters of the Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans will be conducting a fundraiser tomorrow to honor eighteen black confederate soldiers.
The fundraiser is a motorcycle ride that will gather at the National Guard Armory in the Industrial Park North. Registration will begin at 8:45am and the cycles will leave out at 10am.
One of the featured events will be the silent auction that includes such items as an Underground Railroad Quilt, 3 handmade flags, 2 tailgate mats, 2 numbered prints and 2 hardback books.
If you don't want to ride, you can still come out and bid on the items, and have lunch.
The marker dedication is planned for November 8th at 2pm in Maplewood Cemetery.
For more information, contact Tony Townsend at 638-9567 or Kathy Wood at 638-3024.
http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/article.html&id=22018
Pulaski, Tennessee
The local chapters of the Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans will be conducting a fundraiser tomorrow to honor eighteen black confederate soldiers.
The fundraiser is a motorcycle ride that will gather at the National Guard Armory in the Industrial Park North. Registration will begin at 8:45am and the cycles will leave out at 10am.
One of the featured events will be the silent auction that includes such items as an Underground Railroad Quilt, 3 handmade flags, 2 tailgate mats, 2 numbered prints and 2 hardback books.
If you don't want to ride, you can still come out and bid on the items, and have lunch.
The marker dedication is planned for November 8th at 2pm in Maplewood Cemetery.
For more information, contact Tony Townsend at 638-9567 or Kathy Wood at 638-3024.
http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/article.html&id=22018
Thursday, September 17, 2009
CIC Letter to Bill O'Reilly
CIC addresses O'Reilly
14 September 2009
Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
As usual I watched the Factor tonight and am writing in reference to the discussion of the Joe Wilson situation, specifically comments by Juan Williams. Mr. Williams tried to make the point that Ms. Dowd ( NY Times ) was making a circumstantial case of racism against Rep. Wilson by pointing out that he may have been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This will have the effect of leaving your viewers with the impression that this organization is racist. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Mr. Williams is normally more fair than that.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans was formed in 1896 to continue the legacy of honoring those American Veterans. The SCV is a non-partisan,educational and historic organization made up of men who have Confederate ancestors regardless of race, creed, national origin or religious preference.In fact we have members from many backgrounds. The SCV has traditionally and repeatedly disavowed and rebuked hate groups that use Confederate symbolism for the wrong purposes.
You may recall the discussion last Memorial Day on whether or not the President would continue the tradition of sending a wreath to the Confederate Memorial at Arlington Cemetery. He did. I personally sent him a thank you letter for this action and this has been reported in the news.
The decent, patriotic and hard working members of the SCV deserve better than to have the impression given on the Factor that they are racist. I would expect out of fairness, at the least, this could be clarified on air, or better an apology from Mr. Williams. We would be more than willing to provide a spokesman for the SCV to make the point for us should that be possible.
Thank you for your consideration,
Chuck McMichael
Commander in Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
318-963-9892
14 September 2009
Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
As usual I watched the Factor tonight and am writing in reference to the discussion of the Joe Wilson situation, specifically comments by Juan Williams. Mr. Williams tried to make the point that Ms. Dowd ( NY Times ) was making a circumstantial case of racism against Rep. Wilson by pointing out that he may have been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This will have the effect of leaving your viewers with the impression that this organization is racist. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Mr. Williams is normally more fair than that.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans was formed in 1896 to continue the legacy of honoring those American Veterans. The SCV is a non-partisan,educational and historic organization made up of men who have Confederate ancestors regardless of race, creed, national origin or religious preference.In fact we have members from many backgrounds. The SCV has traditionally and repeatedly disavowed and rebuked hate groups that use Confederate symbolism for the wrong purposes.
You may recall the discussion last Memorial Day on whether or not the President would continue the tradition of sending a wreath to the Confederate Memorial at Arlington Cemetery. He did. I personally sent him a thank you letter for this action and this has been reported in the news.
The decent, patriotic and hard working members of the SCV deserve better than to have the impression given on the Factor that they are racist. I would expect out of fairness, at the least, this could be clarified on air, or better an apology from Mr. Williams. We would be more than willing to provide a spokesman for the SCV to make the point for us should that be possible.
Thank you for your consideration,
Chuck McMichael
Commander in Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
318-963-9892
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Student to Fight Court Decision on Confederate Clothing
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina teen who sued a school district over the right to wear Confederate-themed clothing to school will appeal a ruling that sides with the district, her attorney said Wednesday.
"This is an immanently appealable decision," said Kirk Lyons, an attorney for the Southern Legal Resource Center based in North Carolina. "I think we can get this reversed in the Fourth Circuit."
In 2006, Lyons' group filed a federal lawsuit against the Latta School District on behalf of Candice Hardwick, then a 15-year-old high school sophomore.
Hardwick's attorneys argued that the teen — who was forced to change clothes, turn shirts inside-out and was suspended twice for Confederate-themed clothing in middle school — felt that a ban on wearing the Confederate emblem violated her right to free speech.
That notion was tossed out last week by a federal judge, who ruled that Hardwick's attorneys didn't have enough evidence to succeed with their case.
In his 33-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Terry Wooten wrote that district officials, fearing possible disruptions if Confederate-themed clothing were allowed in the racially diverse schools, acted reasonably in banning such items.
"The defendants possessed substantial facts which reasonably supported a forecast that Confederate flag clothing would likely disrupt the educational environment of the schools within the Latta School District," Wooten wrote.
Lyons' group had argued that a 2002 decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals involving a Kentucky high school student is central to Hardwick's situation.
In 1997, Madison Central High School student Timothy Castorina sued after he was suspended for wearing a T-shirt with a Confederate flag. A federal judge tossed out the case, saying T-shirts aren't a form of free speech, but an appeals court overturned that decision, and the school settled.
Hardwick's family has said the teen's desire to show Confederate pride by sporting T-shirts, belt buckles and cell phone covers bearing the red flag crisscrossed with blue stripes and white stars is a family thing.
When Hardwick kicked off the last week of school in May 2006 by staging a protest march into the high school, her father said two of his great-great grandfathers had been Confederate veterans — including one who was wounded at Gettysburg.
Hardwick left Latta High School her senior year and was home-schooled, Lyons said. Now, she is living in Clemson, doing modeling jobs, he said.
While some regard the Confederate flag as a symbol of heritage, others complain it is a racially charged reminder of a past the South should move beyond.
John Kirby, superintendent for the Latta School District, said the symbol could be disruptive in his schools, which were segregated until the 1970s and held separate proms for blacks and whites until the mid 1980s. A decade later, two white students were expelled from Latta High School after they were charged with burning down black churches in the area.
"The decision reaffirms the right of our community to have an expectation of safe schools," Kirby said. "We feel like this decision also supports the duty of our local school board to develop appropriate policy, to demand a safe school environment."
The ruling is similar to one last month, when a federal judge ruled a Tennessee school's ban on Confederate clothing was a reasonable attempt to prevent disruptions. Tommy Defoe, the student who sued that district, has appealed.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that students' free speech rights don't end at the schoolhouse door. But it has not heard a case specifically on whether a student may wear Confederate symbols to school. Lyons said he'd be glad to try the first.
"This would be a good case to take to the Supreme Court," Lyons said. "If the courts allow this to stand, then it is proof that we are a system of gulags that they call public schools."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551101,00.html
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
October 3, 2009 2:00PM Shoals Creek Baptist Church
Grave Marker dedication for 9 Confederate Soldiers. Refreshments afterwards at Church. Four miles east of I65 on Highway 67 from Priceville, AL exit 334,South on Sholes Creek Rd at Shaw's Catfish restaurant, Church about 1 mile on left side.
http://www.shoalcreekbaptist.org/location.php
http://www.shoalcreekbaptist.org/location.php
Monday, September 14, 2009
Join us at our next parade meeting
We are meeting a Greenbrier resturant on Thursday September 17th at 5:30pm to review options for the City of Madison Parade on October 3rd. We are entering a float (truck and trailer) We are trying to get a band and a reenactment group to participate. Please join us or let us know of your suggestions.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Welcome to the Egbert J. Jones Camp #357 Blog
We are excited to bring the blog community to our members. This blog will be used to deliver dynamic content relavent to our events and our local and state Sons of Confederate Veterans Community. Check back daily for updates!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
